Travelling with Fluffy - Cats and the Holiday Adventure

Let's face it, most cats hate to travel. I don't know how many times we've had to move beds, couches or even empty closets trying to find the cat and get her into the carrier. And for some reason, the smallest cat will expand about 10 times in size when you try to put her in that little, tiny box on wheels. One or both of you end up tired, exhausted and angry. So here's a tip to help survive traveling with Fluffy.

Don't do it. Get a pet sitter. I'm serious.

There are many bonded and insured companies that will come in and feed and water your cat, sit and talk to her, make sure she's just fine, and sometimes even scoop the cat box. Your vet can probably suggest someone to you. Or you can ask a friend you trust to check on Fluffy and give her fresh food and water.

Cats get very attached to "their" house. It is "their" bed, "their" window seat, "their" favorite chair, "their" pillow, and especially if you have a multi-cat household, "their" litter box. They have their favorite toys, when they hide during the day and only bring out at 3 AM when you have an important meeting in the morning and really have to get a good night's sleep. And they have a routine that is very important to them, even though we don't understand it at all. So the best vacation travel for your cat is the one which lets her go from room to room as normal.

Now if you just have to pack up Fluffy for the Holiday pilgrimage to Aunt Beulah's house, then here are a few tips that might make things a little easier for everyone no matter if you are staying at an Inn, with a relative, or in a hotel.

1. DO bring Fluffy's favorite sleeping pad or pillow. This will make Fluffy feel a lot more at ease and might save wear and tear on chair cushions and other pillows.
2. DO bring Fluffy's favorite toy, even if it is the obnoxious squeaky one. Fluffy will probably ignore it in a new environment, but might get malicious glee out of waking you up at 3 AM just like at home. Besides, the familiar toy might just distract Fluffy from playing with all the knick-knacks on the mantle. Or might not.
3. DO cat proof your room when you arrive, or ask the Innkeeper to do it. That pretty little antique pitcher will not bounce when it drops onto the floor. Likewise, dangling tassels, crocheted shade pulls and lace curtains are just ready-made entertainment as far as Fluffy is concerned. Anything small and portable is a potential cat toy, including the coffee packets, shampoo bottles and remote control for the TV.
4. DO bring a scratching pad for Fluffy. Unfamiliar carpet, the back of a pristine chair, and the wall in a closet are just waiting for Fluffy to claim them as her own. Another favorite scratching place under a new bed and the bottom of the box spring.
5. DO bring a clean litter box and Fluffy's favorite brand of cat litter. Cats get attached to the smell and texture of their litter. Different litter may lead to Fluffy refusing to use her box and leaving you and the Innkeeper presents all over the room.
6. DO bring copies of Fluffy's up-to-date vaccinations. Cats get cranky too, especially in new surroundings. They get tired of the "awww, Isn't she cute" comments, being ruffled by unfamilar people, hugged too tight, and competing with resident animals for space and attention. Other people cannot read your cat's emotions as well as you can, so they might miss the subtle signs that precede an angry swipe. Fluffy's paperwork might just prevent a prolonged stay for observation at the local vet.
7. Tell your Innkeeper if anything happens in the room. Your Innkeeper will appreciate your honesty and being able to clean up an "accident" immediately will reduce your cleaning costs. Cat urine is very destructive and once it sets it is almost impossible to remove. Cat urine rots wood and just a little will destroy floors, antiques, dresser tops and more. If it soaks into wall-to-wall carpeting then the whole rug and pad might have to go, as well as repairs to the underfloor.
8. Spend time with Fluffy. She will be anxious in a new situation, and might have a tendency to run away if she spies an open door. Contrary to popular belief, most animals that run away in unfamiliar areas do not get home.

So, if you must travel with Fluffy, be careful, be attentive, and pack well. And above all, have a safe, happy and healthy Holiday trip.

Travelling with Fido

Everyone loves to travel, including Fido. So as you pack up your family for your Holiday travels, here a a few tips for Fido:

1. DO remember his toys. Traveling is stressful for everyone and having Fido's favorite toy will help reduce his stress levels.
2. DO remember chew toys. When a dog gets anxious or bored it chews. A familiar chew toy or treat and Fido is more likely to ignore all the tempting new items in your room, like those antique chair legs. (Things that guest dogs have chewed at our Inn include chairs, antique dressers, wastebaskets, pillows, plants, curtains, towels, electric cords and phone books.)
3. DO remember his leash. Fido may be perfectly trained for you, but if you leave Fido unattended in your room and there is an emergency, your Innkeeper will need a leash to get Fido to safety.
4. DO bring copies of Fido's up-to-date vaccinations. Just as you get snippy and short-tempered when you are tired and stressed, Fido gets nippy and short-tempered too when he's tired, overexcited or insecure in new surroundings. You will probably never need them, but if a playful nip breaks the skin, those records could help keep Fido out of doggy jail.
5. DO spend time with Fido. If Fido's used to walking at a certain time then its better for everyone to keep that schedule. Regular walks and paying attention to the "Hey - I Gotta Go" dance will keep Fido content. Dogs react to different water and foods just like humans, and chances are Fido will be getting a few more table treats during the Holidays, which might just throw his whole system off.
6. DO inform the Innkeeper if Fido has an accident. Honesty is the best policy and an upfront "Gee, this happened in the room" is so much better than housekeeping walking into a mess. A wet spot on a carpet that sits will destroy the underlying wood and might result in the whole floor and carpet being destroyed. Likewise, doggy toothmarks on an 18th century cedar blanket chest can end up with you being charged the full value of the antique.

So, when you travel with Fido, bring his stuff, bring his treats, and give him the love and attention he wants. and he will repay you with more love and affection than you could ever imagine.

Have safe travels this Holiday Season!

Winter in Vermont

Snow covered hills, romantic sleigh rides, skiing, snowboarding, snowball fights, hot coco, warm fires...Those are just a few things people think about when they visualize Winter in Vermont. But Power outages?

Yup, we have them too!

Tuesday, sometime between 2 and 2:30 PM the power went out up here, affecting over 3,000 people, according to CVPS. That's not really a lot of people, but when its your home and business what do you do? Mom had been trying to order Christmas presents for the rest of the grand kids online, but no power = no DSL = no internet! Brian had been programming, but he has a UPS and had time to save, log out and shut down his computer safely. Me, I was just starting this blog and Poof! Into the ether with that!

Then the beeps and whoops and dings and jingles of all the electronic equipment clammering for attention and power, complaining that they were hungry for power. We silenced the bells and whistles we could and then realized just how quiet the Inn was without the humming of computers in the background. No bzzzz, no whirling fans, no clanks or clicks of farddrives updating themselves for whatever reason. For the first time, I could hear the fireplace gently crackling. The happily purring cats were the loudest sounds in the house.

But what to do? No TV. No video games. Can't microwave popcorn. If it was sunnier I could have read a book, but it was overcast and getting later. Soon the sun would be behind the mountains and night would be upon us at 5 PM.

About now, the dogs decided it was time for walkies, so I grabbed the leashes and off we went into the snowy field. We followed deer tracks to the apple trees and found half-eaten apples. We listened to pileated woodpeckers and others of the woodpecker family rat-a-tat-tatting on an old tree. We saw vole tracks through the snow and watched sparrows and chickadees eat from the goldenrod heads poking up through the snowbanks. I played Fetch the Snowball with two of the dogs while the third kept sniffling grass piles under the snow looking for mice and voles.

Eventually, we all came back to the Inn and put our wet socks and boots by the fireplace to dry. It was just 3:30 and still no power. I started to appreciate just how many windows a Victorian house has. Light was still filtering into all the rooms and the maid closet, with the candles and matches, had a full size window. So, with candles and lamps ready, we waited, and tried to figure out what to have for dinner.

The power returned at 4:30 with its chorus of dings and beeps, pings and crackles and computers loaded, fridges started and lights came on all over. Christmas decorations relit and I admired our tree once again with its simple white lights (all LEDs) and decorations dating back generations in the Great Room. Outside streetlights glowed and the gentle hum of the 21st century returned to the sleepy little village of Danby.